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Wireless Networking

Submission + - Wi-Fi Piggybacking Widespread (net-security.org)

Submitted by BaCa
BaCa writes: Sophos has revealed new research into the use of other people's Wi-Fi networks to piggyback onto the internet without payment. The research shows that 54 percent of computer users have admitted breaking the law, by using someone else's wireless internet access without permission.
Software

Submission + - Adobe to unclutter Photoshop UI (tekwasp.com)

Submitted by spotplace
spotplace writes: It's not common to see a company blast their own product for failing to adapt to times and people's necessities, unless they're trying to give you a reason to buy the latest and greatest of said product. That's exactly what Adobe has done. John Nack, senior product manager at Adobe, says the old Photoshop interface doesn't cut it anymore: "I sometimes joke that looking at some parts of the app is like counting the rings in a tree: you can gauge when certain features arrived by the dimensions & style of the dialog. No one wants to work with — or work on — some shambling, bloated monster of a program."
Networking

Submission + - Neuro-Reckoning may Reduce MMOG Time Lag

Submitted by
Hugh Pickens
Hugh Pickens writes: "Time lag can cause some very strange behavior in massively multiplayer online games when players' actions onscreen become slow and jerky. New techniques are on the way to reduce the problem of lag time in MMOGs when a player's computer can't keep up with changes in a shared online world. Games like Quake use a technique called dead reckoning and while traditional dead-reckoning systems that assume that a game character will maintain the velocity and direction that it has at the moment an update is sent to all other participating computers; dead reckoning works best for movement and shooting and less well for erratic actions such as interacting with objects or with other players. Read the abstract of new technique called "neuro-reckoning" that may improve the predictive process by installing a neural network in each player's computer to predict fast, jerky actions."
Education

Submission + - SAS CEO Blasts Old-School Schooling

Submitted by
theodp
theodp writes: "What does SAS CEO Dr. Jim Goodnight have in common with 47% of high school dropouts? A belief that school is boring. Marking the 50th anniversary of Sputnik with a call for renewed emphasis on science and technology in America's schools, Goodnight finds today's kids ill-served by old-school schooling: 'Today's generation of kids is the most technology savvy group that this country has ever produced. They are born with an iPod in one hand and a cell phone in another. They're text messaging, e-mailing, instant messaging. They're on MySpace, YouTube & Google. They've got Nintendo Wiis, Game Boys, PlayStations. Their world is one of total interactivity. They're in constant communication with each other, but when they go to school, they are told to leave those 'toys' at home. They're not to be used in school. Instead, the system continues teaching as if these kids belong to the last century, by standing in front of a blackboard.'"
Communications

Submission + - Why municipal wi-fi networks have been such a flop

Submitted by Jake
Jake writes: Hi,
Jake Melville from Slate.com here. Today, we published a story on the failed effort of municipal Wi-Fi efforts. We thought that you and your readers might enjoy it, given your recent coverage of the wi-fi issue and tech trends.
The story can be found here: http://www.slate.com/id/2174858/
Thanks very much,
Jake Melville
Displays

Submission + - FAA gets a big-screen touch screen

Submitted by
Matt
Matt writes: "Northrop Grumman best known for missile systems and other military gear for many years has been selling the TouchTable as part of what it calls an "integrated collaboration environment." They delivered their TouchTable to the Federal Aviation Administration last month and will showcase their technologies next week at a defense conference in London. There are two versions of the TouchTable; one with an 84-inch screen (1600x1200 resolution), the other with a 45-inch screen (1920x1080 resolution). Moving a hand across the surface pans the display, two fingers moving apart zooms it out, and two fingers moving together zooms it in. This simple interface allows users to easily change a view from miles above the Earth to a detailed layout of a single city block."
Patents

Submission + - USPTO Imposes 'Undue Hardship' on 1-Click Lawyers

Submitted by
theodp
theodp writes: "Looks like Amazon's high-priced Silicon Valley attorneys will have to endure the 'undue hardship' of awakening early next Thursday morning to defend CEO Jeff Bezos' 1-Click patent in a Video Hearing before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences. The attorneys' plea for a 1 p.m. ET start time drew a be-there-at-9-or-be-square response from the USPTO. The 1-Click patent has fallen into disfavor lately with USPTO Examiners, who no longer have the same boss who once sent a 1-Click love letter to the WSJ arguing that the merits of Amazon's patent were proven by a contest run by a Jeff Bezos-financed company, an argument that was later rejected by Congress."
Google

Submission + - Google Geek's Famous Photos (nytimes.com)

Submitted by kiracatgirl
kiracatgirl writes: Here's a fun story about a relatively unknown Google employee and his hobby — taking photographs of himself with famous visitors to Google's headquarters. His gallery is posted on the walls at Google HQ, but is also available for our viewing pleasure at his online photo album.
It's funny. Laugh.

Submission + - Teen hacks $84 million porn filter in 30 minutes

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Tom Wood, a Year 10 Australian student has cracked the federal government's $84-million Internet porn filter in just 30 minutes. He can deactivate the filter in several clicks in such a way that the software's icon is not deleted which will make his parents believe the filter is still working. Tom says it is a matter of time before some computer-savvy kid puts the bypass on the Internet for others to use.
Space

Submission + - Lunar Eclipse Next Tuesday Morning (space.com)

Submitted by
Raver32
Raver32 writes: "Tuesday morning, Aug. 28 brings us the second total lunar eclipse of 2007. Those living in the Western Hemisphere and eastern Asia will be able to partake in at least some of this sky show. The very best viewing region for viewing this eclipse will fall across the Pacific Rim, including the West Coast of the United States and Canada, as well as Alaska, Hawaii, New Zealand and eastern Australia. All these places will be able to see the complete eclipse from start to finish. Europeans will miss out on the entire show, as the Moon will be below the horizon during their mid and late morning hours."
Television

Submission + - Matt Groening Final Boss in Simpsons EA Game (filefront.com) 1

Submitted by
eldavojohn
eldavojohn writes: "Announced at E3, Mr. Groening will be the final boss in the Simpsons game. Mr. Groening commented on the game: "They did a send-up of videogames. It's a videogame about videogames; and I'm in the videogame. I'm a boss that you have to fight at the end of the game. It was really fun recording a million ways of dying, going 'UGGH, ARGGH, EUURGH!'""
Wireless Networking

Submission + - Wi-Fi Hack Aids Boarding Parties

Submitted by Kage-Yojimbo
Kage-Yojimbo writes: The U.S. Navy has adapted civilian wi-fi (wireless networks) for use at sea during boarding operations. By modifying off-the-shelf wi-fi gear, the navy increased the range to over 700 meters. The main reason for all this was to speed up the transmission of passport photos and other personal data back to the ship, so that it could be run through databases to check for terrorists or criminals. This wi-fi hack cut several hours off the time required to check documents. The Expanded Maritime Interception Operations (EIMO) wireless system was developed last year, to provide several kilometers of range to the original wi-fi gear (which has been in use for over three years). Each pair of wi-fi units costs about $1400 to construct, using common parts to add more powerful antennae to standard 802.11g wi-fi equipment.

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htiw/articles/200 70525.aspx

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